Advertising-projecting device



1,619,096 March l 1927' H. H. wALsH ADVERTISING vPROJECTING DEVICE Filed March 30, 1925 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L 35 jg A i /Lk mess Ufa/melf @70,

1 March l 927 H. H. wALsH ADVERTISING PROJECTING DEVICE Filed Maroh 30. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 1, 1927.

UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

BARBIE H. WALSH, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO KAY SIGN COMPANY, OF

v CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ADVEBTISING-PROJECTING DEVICE.

Application led March 30, 1925. Serial No. 19,304.

This invention relates to improvements in advertising projecting devices and consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention more specifically relates to improvements in an advertising projecting device of the kind shown and described in Letters-Patent No. 1,290,947, granted- Jan-y uary 14, 1919, to Clyde Erskinez Said device consists generally of a casing with a translucent screen as its front wall and with a projecting apparatus including an endless traveling band bearing letters or characters blocked out or cut therein and adapted to be projected by means of `a suitable lamp upon the screen adjacent to and in association with other immovable letters o r characters comprising part of the advertisement to be de icted.

The o ject of the invention is to simplify and reduce the cost of manufacture of an a paratus of the kind; to reduce the number o? parts required therein, without affecting the eliciency of operation; and to generally cheapen the cost of operating and maintaining such an apparatus.

The advantages of my invention will appear more clearly as I proceed with my speciication.

Figure 1 is a view represent-ing in perspective my improved advertising device.

Figure 2 is a view representing a longitudinal, central, vertical section through the apparatus.

Figure 3 is a view representing a transverse section through the apparatus in a plane indicated by a line 3- -3 of Figure'2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the endless band, which bears the characters or letters which are projected to constitute the movable letters or Acharacters projected on the screen.

Figure 5 is a view representing on an enlarged scale a vertical section through the said endless band.

Figure 6 is a detail view on a reduced scale showing a bottom plan View of a colcred screen which may be used in the device.

Referring now to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings z-lO indicates the casing which encloses the apparatus. Said casing has top and bottom walls 12, 12; side walls 13, 13; and a substantially cylindrical back wall 14. The casing in the main is preferably made of sheet metal, but has the bottom wall 12 reinforced by a wood base 12.

15 indicates the front wall. Said front wall, as shown, includes an openvwooden 'rectangular frame v16, which carries the glass screens, which form the front closure for the casing. The opening in the frame is divided between the top and bottom, into two spaces, by means of a horizontal bar 18. The frame is held in erect position by means of flanges `18a which are formed at the margins at the sides and bottom wall of the casing, and which engage in suitable grooves formed in the side and bottom members of the frame, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3.

In the opening in the upper part of the frame are fixed two transparent panes of glass 17, 17iL which, with a sheet of translucent paper 17b placed between them, constitute the screen 17 which occupies the upper opening in the frame. Narrow panes of glass 17 c, 17 c iiXed in the lower opening of the frame constitute, with a sheet of white paper 17'i placed betweenthem, the lower screen of the frame. The upper sheet 17b has painted or otherwise depicted on it the views, pictures or characters, which are to constitute the stationary part of the advertising matter. The paper on which they are depicted being translucent, the pictures or characters appear as on the screen 17 when light is transmitted through the screen. The white paper of the lower screen acts to receive and show the moving characters or letters which are throwr i ,.thereon, as will presently appear. A hinged plate 18c at the forward top margin of the casing provides means for the Withdrawal of the frame 16 as a whole from the casing; or for .a withdrawal of the glass panes 17, 17a and the sheet 17 b, without the removal of the frame, as when the advertising matter on the screen 17 is to be changed. The groove in the side of the frame which receives the glass panes 17, 17 opens throu h 'said side member on one side as indicate at 18y (see Figure 3), so that after the frame 16 is removed from the casing, the panes 17 and the paper 17d between them may be removed laterally fr om the frame, in order to renew the sheet 1 i 19 indicates the endless bend which bears the letters or characters, which constitute the moving part of the sign matter to appear upon the screen. Said endless band 1n this case consists of a cylindrical strip 20l of cardboard or heavy paper, in which are cut stencil openings 21 in the form of the letters or characters to form the words, sentences or other matter as desired. The paper or cardboard strip is reinforced and strengthened at its bottom edge in any convenient manner, as by means of narrow light sheet metal rings 22, 23 placed on the opposite faces of the band. ne of said rings, 22, for example, is curled upon itself to form a bead 24, which stands below the bottom edge of the band and presents a shoulder to en age and support the bottom edge of the ot er ring 23. Said rings are secured to the cardboard or paper band in any convenient way.

The cylindrical band 19 is held in shape by means of diagonally disposed crossed wires 25, 25 (see Figure 4), which are located in the plane of the top of the band; yvhich have depending parts 25a fixed to the inner face of the band; and which are attached at the middle of the band to a centrally disposed block 25h, having a central opening 26 therein.

A post 27 is fixed to the bottom wall 12 of the casing at a point substantially concentric with the cylindrical back wall 14 of the tasing. Said post has -a reduced end 28 which engages within the opening 26 in the block 25b of the endless band 19, thereby centering the band on said post. The shoulder29 at the bottom of the reduced end 28 of the post 27 provides a bearing support for the bottom of the block 25h. Manifestly, the endless band 19 may be rotated upon the post 27 as an axis.

Back of the post 27 is located a.V small electric motor 30, which is mounted. on the bottom wall 12 of the casing. lSaid motor is set up with its shaft in a vertical plane, which extends radially with reference to the endless band 19. The motor shaft has an extension 31, which projects beyond the cylindrical perimeter of the band 19. A small fan wheel 32 is preferably fixed to the motor shaft 31. The parts are so designed that the bottom edge of the band 19, bears upon and .rides the motor shaft 31. As shown the band is mounted so that its plane is slightly tipped upwardly at the rear side, as clearly shown in Figure 2, so that the motor shaft 31 will always be in engagement with the bottom bearing edge of the band. Thus in the rotation of t-he motor shaft, rotary movement will be imparted to the cylindrical band by a friction drive.

34 indicates a lamp fixed on the bottom wall 12 of the casing at a point between the center of the band 19 and the screen carried at the front of the casing. A plate 35 is interposed in front of the lamp 34 and between the two glass plates 17,

tween said lamp and the periphery of the i band 19. Said plate has an opening 35, which is of such vertical width as to shut out all rays from the lamp, except those which will include the top and bottom of the letters or characters on the band 19. In this way, the light is concentrated to throw the letters or characters of the band on the white sheet of paper 17d located be- 17. Thus, said letters or characters are sharply defined and appear very clearly on the screen comprised of said glass plates and sheet of paper.

The plate 35 has a rearwardly inclined open part 35h, the opening of which is covered by a translucent sheet of paper or like material 35. This paper is so held above the lamp, that it will more evenly transmit and transfuse the li ht from the lamp 34 to the screen comprise of the translucent picture sheet 17 b and of the glass panes 17, 17a between which it is located.

As a further means for arousing curiosity and drawing attention to the stationary part of the advertising matter, I may provide a means carried by the rotating band for changing the color of the light transmitted through the sheet 17 b, thereby causing changes of color to appear in the stationary part of the advertising matter.

To this end, I provide a frame 36 (see Figures 2 and 6) covered with translucent sheets 37, 38, 39, 40 of different color. As shown, the frame is made in the form of a flat cone with an open circular base 41, which is of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the band 19, and of four radial arms 42, spaced at equal angles about the center of said frame. The arms 42 are arranged at a small angle to the plane of -the base 36, which thus gives the substantially fiat conical effect to the device. Any suitable device as the clips 43 at the end of the arms 42, may be used for attaching the device as a whole to the rods 25 of the band 19.

As the frame 36 with its different colored, translucent sheets or screens is rotated with the endless band 19, said screens will act, each as it comes above the lamp 34, to throw different colored lights on the upper screen, thus changing the color of the characters, pictures or other advertising matter on the translucent sheet 17 b.

By the construction illustrated and described a very cheap but quite eiiicient operating mechanism is provided for supporting and driving the endless band of the a paratus; and the friction drive between t e shaft 31 and the bottom end of the endless band eliminates the necessity for reduction gearing.

While in describing my invention I have referred to many details of mechanical conand a horizontal struction and arrangement of parts, it is be understood that the invention is to be 1n no way limited thereto, except as pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the kind described, 1n combination with a casing having a front wall-.provided with a translucent screen, a cylindrical band Within said casing made of heavy paper or cardboard having letters, characters and the like stenciled therein, means providing a central bearing support for said band by means of which it is made rotative about a vertical axis, a horizontal power driven shaft arranged radially with reference to said band in supportinor engagement with the bottom edge of said tband, and a lamp located within the space oc'- cupied b the bandand adapted to direct rays of fig in said band upon said screen.

2. In a device of the kind described, in combination with .a casing having a front wall provided with a translucent screen, a cylindrical, stenciled band of paper or cardboard within said casing, means reinforcing the bottom edge of said band, devices providing a central bearing support for said band, making it capable of rotation about a vertical axis, a horizontal power driven shaft arranged radially with reference to said band and in supporting engagement with the reinforced bottom edge of said band at one point, and a lamp located within the space occupied by the band and adapted vto direct rays of light through the stenciled band upon said screen.

3. In a device of the kind described, a cylindrical band .rotatable on a vertical axis and made of paper or cardboard bearing letters, characters and the like blocked out thereon, an apertured block located at the center of said band in the plane of its top edge, radial members connecting said block to the band, a vertical post providing support for said block and having a reduced end engaged in the aperture of said block,

ower driven shaft arranged radially wit reference to said band and having bearing engagement at one point with the bottom ed e o said band.-

4. In a deviceo the kind described, a cylindrical band rotatable on a vertical axis and zmade of paper or cardboard bearing letters, characters and the like blocked out ht through the stencil openings thereon, metal rings engaged with opposite vsides of said band at its bottom margin, an apertured block located at the center of said band in the plane of its top edge, radial members connecting said block to the band, a vertical postv providing support for said block and having a reduced end engaged in the aperture of said block, and a horizontal power driven shaft arranged radially with reference to said band and having bearing engagement at one point with the bottom edge of said band.

5. In a device of the kind described, in combination with a casing having a front wall provided with a translucent screen, a cylindrical band having letters, characters and the like blocked out thereon, said band being of a diameter to substantially occupy the horizontal area of said casing, means providing bearing support for said band makin it capable of rotation about a vertical axis including ahorizontal power driven shaft arranged radially with reference to said band and supportingly engaging the bottom edge thereof at one oint, a ylamp located between the center o said band and said screen, and a late interposed between said lamp and said band, said plate being provided with an opening adapted to determine the light rays directed through said band upon said screen.

6. In a device of the kind described, in combination with a casing having a front wall provided with a translucent screen, said screen being divided into upper and lower sections, a `cylindrical band bearing letters, characters and the like blocked out thereon located within the casing, in line with the bottom section of said screen, means for rotating said cylindrical band upon a verticalaxis, a lamp interposed between the rotative axis of said band and the lower section of said screen, means for directing a part of the rays of said lamp through said and upon said lower section of the screen, and 'a cover for -the o en top of said band having a pluralit ,o' different colored translucent sections a apted to be brought in the rotation of said band successively into position above said lamp.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I aix my signature this 16th day of March, A. D. 1925.

Hamam HtwALsH.

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